Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Came home, 41 years ago today


41 years ago today, Dec 18, 1971, Pastor Art came home from the Vietnam War, safe and sound.

Art joined the Navy about a year after finishing high school, then in 1971, Pastor Art's ship was sent to the Western Pacific for the better part of the year 1971.  We came home, to our home port of San Diego, about 10 o'clock in the morning, on December 18, 1971.  Here is a picture:  U.S.S. Henry B. Wilson (DDG-7).


So today, I celebrate the 41st anniversary of that day, and pray that all those currently serving our country overseas will one day return home safely to their family and friends too.

Within an hour of docking at Pier 2 of the 32nd Street Naval Station, I was able to get to the place were I was living on the beach and by about  Noon was at the airport, and by 1 PM was on a plane heading back to Chicago, my home town.

About 7 PM I was able to call home from a pay phone at O'Hare to wish my mother a Merry Christmas and to ask them to come get me.

United Air Lines was very nice and allowed me to check 5 bags at no charge, but then they bounced me from the plane, since it was overbooked - I had purchased a standby ticket, so I ended up flying home on an American flight which left 15 minutes later.

American put me into the middle seat at the back row of the plane, a seat which would not recline, and then a few mintues later a sassy college girl, who had purchased a more expensive standby ticket, bounced me from coach, but American didn't ask me to leave the plane, after watching the sassy college girl giggle as she walked past me into the coach section, I was seated in First Class.

And that my friends is why December 18 is a date I'll never forget!

May the Lord Bless You and Keep You, and May you and yours have a Very Merry Christmas!


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